Mark shoeld



M. SHOELD.

ELECTRODE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 21, 1918.

'1 ,3 1 3, 1 25 Patented Aug. 12, 1919.

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY WITNESS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARK SHOEItD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ARMOUR FERTILIZER WORKS, OF

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

. ELECTRODE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 21', 1918. Serial No. 258,941.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARK SHoELp, a subject of the King of Sweden, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrodes, of which the following is aspecification.

In electric furnaces employing graphite or other comparatively fragile or frangible electrodes trouble is likely to be encountered by their breaking, because of the excessive or unequal strains and stresses to which they are subjected, not only by reason of the heat to which they are submitted, but also because of the uneven settling of the ad]acent or associatedfurnace parts, such, for example, as the heat-resisting or refractory lining. l

The leading purpose or prime ob ect of this invention is to overcome these difficulties in a simple, economical, and eiiiclent manner, and, to this end, in the preferred embodiment of the inventionthe electrode is made of a plurality of electrically-conductive parts, desirably slabs or blocks, arranged in superposed horizontal rows resting on one another with the 3o1nts offset, so that the members of each row are in overlapped or interlocked relatlon w1th those of the companion rows. To render such a sectional electrode efficiently electrically conductive it is necessary, or at least desirable, to press these elements together to br ng them into relatively good conductive relation with one another and thus in some degree overcome or offset the disadvantages of making the electrode in parts. Thls is accomplished or brought about by causing the refractory lining, or a part of it abovethe electrode, to rest thereon whereby its weight presses the members of the electrode together into comparatively eflicient contact. To facilitate this result the lining bricks are not ofiset or interlocked and hence submit the sectional electrode to a comparatively uniform pressure, at the same time possessing the capability of settling unevenly. I

This preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the acompanying drawing forming a part of this s ecification and throughout the views of w ich like reference characters refer to the same parts.

In this drawing: Figure l is a fragmentary, vertlc-al section,

through a portion of an electric-furnace equipped wlth one of the improved electrodes; and

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectionon line-2k-2 of Fig. l.

By reference to the figures of this drawing, it will be observed that the sectional or sub-divided electrode comprises a plurality of horizontal rows 10, ll, 12, 13 and 14 of graphite or similar suitable blocks or bars 15 disposed in interlocked or offset relation (see Fig. 2), whereby the blocks of the rows are overlapped in an effective manner, each horizontal stratum or layer comprising a number of such blocks or bars set up in similar manner in transversely overlapped arrangement as indicated in Flg. 1. conductive members also partially incase or inclose a water-cooled electric-terminal 16 located partly outside of the furnace-shell 17 and projecting inwardly a substantial amountto make effective contact with the electrode-blocks which, as is fully shown, are disposed on all sides of it.

The lining or refractory bricks 18 beneath the sectional electrode and which form the support for the latter may be set up or arranged in any convenient way, in interlocked or overlapped relation if desired; but the lining bricks 19 above, and which rest on, this electrode are desirably disposed in independent vertical rows not interlocked, whereby they may more uniformly and evenly distribute their weight over the upper surface of the electrode and may if occasion requires settle independently of one another. In this simple way the companion elements of the electrode are maintained pressed together and into proper contact with the associated metal terminal.

At each side of the electrode a narrow space 20 may be provided and if preferred may be filled with dust or any suitable substance which will not interfere with the pressing of the electrode blocks together.

It will be understood that since the sectional electrode is com osed of a number of parts each free to shi t or move relatively These to the others, the electrode as a whole may become distorted somewhat without objectionable breakage. In other words, the electrode can come and go, shift, warp, twist, settle unevenly, and expand and contract without serious detrimental results.

The invention obviously is not limited and restricted to theprecise and exact features of construction presented because these may be changed in many respects and still incorporate the principles of the invention and maintain its varlous benefits and advantages. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the structure shown and described is merely one of several embodiments which the invention may take in commercial and practical shape.

I claim:

1. In an electric-furnace, the combination of an electrode comprising a plurality of superposed overlapping electrically-conductive members and a furnace-lining structure resting and imposing its weight on said members pressin them together, substantially as described. I

2. In an electric furnace, the combination of an electrode comprising a plurality of superposed overlappin electricallyconductive members and a urnace-lining structure composed of independent vertical sections resting and imposing their weight on said electrode members, pressing them to gether, substantially as described.

3. In an electric furnace, the combination of an electrode comprisin a plurality of superposed rows of electrlcally-conductive members, the members of each row being offset with relation to and overlapping those of the next rows, the members of each row bein laterally offset with relation to and over apping the adajcent'members of the same row, and a furnace-lining structure resting and imposing its weight on said electrode members pressing them together, substantially as described.

4. In an electric furnace, the combination of an electric terminal, an electrode comprising a plurality of superposed overlapping electrically-conductive members, and

means to press said members together and at least a portion of them and said terminal, substantially as described.

5. In an electric furnace, the combination of a sectional electrode comprising a plurality ofsuperposed overlapping electrically-conductive members, an electric terminal at least partially embedded in said electrode, and a furnace-lining structure resting and imposing its weight on said electrode pressing together its members and at least a part of them and said terminal, substantially as described.

6. In an electric furnace, the combination of a sectional electrode comprising a plurality of superposed rows of electrically-com ductive members, the members of each row being offset with relation to and overlapping those of the next rows, the members of each row being laterally offset with relation to and overlapping the adjacent members of the same row, an electric terminal at least partially embedded in said electrode, and a furnace-lining structure restin and imposing its weight on said electro e pressing together its members and at least a part of them and said terminal, substantially as described.

7. In an electric furnace, the combination of a sectional electrode comprising a plurality of superposed rows of electrically-conductlve members, the members of each row being offset withrelation to and overlapping those of the next rows, the members of each row being'laterally offset with relation to and overlap-ping the adjacent members of the same row, an electric terminal at least partially embedded in said electrode, and means to press together the members of said electrode and at least a part of them and saidterminal, substantially as described.

' MARK SHOELD. 

